1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to eyewear and eyeglasses and a method of using said eyewear and eyeglasses, which provide a lens frame removably attached to a primary eyewear, such as an eyewear platform or conventional eyeglasses, with snap connections.
2. Background Information
Auxiliary eyewear attachments, which connect to primary or conventional eyeglasses with attachment devices, allow the user to convert a pair of conventional eyeglasses to sunglasses and to avoid the need for an additional pair of prescription sunglasses. This auxiliary eyewear can also be used to change the prescription of the lenses on the primary eyewear.
Another way to allow the user to maximize the different kinds of eyewear is for the user to attach a removable lens frame to an eyewear platform. By allowing removable attachment of the lens frame to an eyewear platform, the user only needs to wear one set of lenses at a time. By only using one set of lenses in this eyewear, there is reduced weight, no glare or reflection between lenses, and no distraction in the field of vision with the eyewear. In addition, since there is only one set of lenses, it is easier for the user to keep these lenses clean. Further, by using the same eyewear platform as a base to attach different lenses, the user is able to employ one eyewear apparatus that allows for multiple and different types of lenses and that can be changed easily and quickly. Finally, instead of having several different pairs of conventional glasses, the user may substantially save cost by having different sets of lenses for one eyewear platform.
A number of different designs are available for auxiliary eyewear using attachment devices such as magnets, clips, snaps, clasps, or hooks. A method of attaching auxiliary eyewear by snaps is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,679 B1 issued Mar. 6, 2001 to Edmund Wong. In the Wong patent, each of a pair of projections on the auxiliary frame engages and fits snugly in an opening on a corresponding projection on the primary spectacle frame. In order to allow the auxiliary projections to fit snugly in the openings, Wong uses an incomplete ring clip received and retained in an annular recess of the opening's inner surface.
A problem with the attachment device disclosed and described in Wong is that as a user repeatedly attaches and detaches the auxiliary eyewear, the incomplete ring clip can become loosened or worn out and lose its ability to secure locking engagement between the auxiliary projection and the primary projection. Further, manufacture of the eyeglasses with such incomplete ring clip inserted in the inner surface of the opening is relatively complex and requires separate pieces of material.
Moreover, the process of detachment of the auxiliary eyewear from the primary eyeglasses in Wong is inconvenient. In order to release the locking engagement between the auxiliary projection and the primary projection, a user has to forcibly pull the auxiliary projection from the primary projection. If the user tries to detach the auxiliary eyewear while wearing the assembly of the primary glasses and the auxiliary eyewear, pulling the auxiliary eyewear from the primary eyeglasses may cause severe dislocation of the primary eyeglasses, and may result in injury to the user's face.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new and improved snap connection for attaching auxiliary eyeglasses to a primary eyewear, which is stable and durable in its structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus of easy release snap connection that allows a user to comfortably and conveniently detach an auxiliary eyewear from a primary eyewear.